Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps the Government plans to take through its role as penholder for Sudan at the UN Security Council to encourage international partners to support an immediate ceasefire in Sudan; and what assessment he has made of the impact of continued conflict on (a) the humanitarian situation in Sudan and (b) regional stability.

The UK uses its position as penholder at the UN Security Council on Sudan to increase pressure on the warring parties. On 8 March, the UNSC adopted UK-drafted Resolution 2724 calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unhindered humanitarian access. On 27 February, we called for the Council to convene for a closed consultation responding to SAF withdrawing permission for the movement of aid into Sudan from the Adre border crossing. On 20 March, we also highlighted the OCHA White Note's clear warning that obstruction of humanitarian access is resulting in people in Sudan starving. On 19 April, the UK also called for an open briefing on the situation to mark the one-year point in the conflict at the UNSC.